I love old things. Let me say that again. I LOVE old things!! My happy place is almost any European flea market. I love finding interesting pieces of furniture and imagining their origins. My heart races upon finding that elusive platter I've been missing from my collection of china, and THEN turning it over to find it bears the stamp used from 1894-1909 (YESSS!!!!!). I love to haggle, haphazardly bargaining in a mix of languages to try (sometimes with desperation) to justify bringing home the perfect treasure.
I also love to look around my home and be reminded of moments in time. That flea market in Berlin where I bought the the most incredible glass knobs, now adorning the drawer on the bench in our playroom where my kids store their dress-up clothes. The market on the side of a road in Germany where I paid a Euro for a gorgeous pottery pitcher that now sits on a pedestal in my dining room. ONE EURO!!! And the wood. This is where I almost get misty, because it's not so much about my moments in time, but the moments I can't possibly know. How many families have sat around my 100-year-old table? How many tales were told with laughter, or tears, or anger, by people whose backs leaned against the same chair I sit in now? Though it now holds napkins and the occasional grouping of flowers, I have to wonder how many people ate from loaves of bread that were kneaded on the table that came from an old French bakery?
And so today my DIY is all about the wood. I have used many products to try and protect the gorgeous wood pieces we've picked up over the years. These were not chemical-free products. They were desperate attempts to try, by whatever means, to keep our precious wood pieces beautiful. Ah, I laugh now because the solution is so easy, and so very perfect. And with that I give you the only recipe you will ever need to protect your own wooden treasures.
The Best Ever Wood Polish
1/2 Cup Olive Oil (please get real olive oil for this, don't skimp!)
1/2 Cup Water
20 Drops dōTERRA Arborvitae Essential Oil
15 Drops dōTERRA Lemon Essential Oil
*Oil and water don't mix, right? So get out your high-speed blender (we use a Vitamix) and blend away until your polish is a creamy, pale yellow, and fully mixed (you don't want to see any separation of oil and water). Using a funnel, pour this into a glass spray bottle and spray away. When polishing my furniture, I sprayed the polish and let it set for a minute before rubbing it in and wiping away. If you don't use all this at one time, you'll just need to re-blend it before using it again. I generally make an 8 ounce bottle of polish and take care of all my antiques on the same day.
*I've used this same recipe for about 7 years and it's beautiful!! The last time I made it, though, the oil and water separated almost immediately. My tip to avoid this is to blend until it's sufficiently mixed together AND to be sure you're using a good olive oil.
So you've never heard of Arborvitae Essential Oil? OK folks, this is what makes this polish so special! Arborvitae is known as the “tree of life.” It's Native to Canada and all parts of the majestic Arborvitae tree were used extensively by Native Americans for health benefits and for building vessels (canoes) and totem poles. Arborvitae's natural preserving properties prevents wood from rotting, which makes it popular in woodcraft and for preserving natural wood surfaces. And it's what makes it absolutely perfect for protecting my precious wooden treasures.
Wish you could get some Arborvitae oil of your own?? You can!! The best way, of course, is to get your own wholesale account with dōTERRA and buy the oil when you need it (no minimum purchase necessary, you just get what you want, when you want it) and to do that is easy, just shoot me a note using my contact form and I'll help you out, or if you're feeling crazy and super excited to move the process along, click here to create your account all on your own. You can also use this link to buy the oil online without first creating an account and have it delivered in just a few days if you're in the US. Please note that by buying without enrolling first with a wholesale account you'll pay retail, but you'll have a chance once you click on the link to save a bit of money and get an account if you decide that's what you'd like to do.
While you're waiting for your gorgeous oil to arrive, watch the movie Midnight in Paris with Owen Wilson. It will make you wistful for another time and ready to care for and appreciate your own antiques even more.